Derbyshire's latest pick for the Commonwealth Games, cyclist Cameron Orr, will not be wearing the red and white of England – but the green of Northern Ireland.

Orr, another top competitor from the Matlock Cycling Club production line, qualifies for Northern Ireland through his father Robert and late grandfather John and will be heading for Gold Coast, in Australia, in April.

He has already represented Great Britain in the junior age groups as a mountain biker but he will also tackle the road race at the Games. He will be the youngest cyclist competing – he is 18 now and will turn 19 before the Games begin.

“Cam had been on the radar with the Northern Irish cycling board for some time and they invited him to apply for selection,” said his father, himself a former Irish road race champion in the 1980s. He did apply for both England and Northern Ireland, so when he chose Northern Ireland, it obviously made me very proud.

"He could ride a bike without stabilisers when he was two and a half.”

The family moved from Derby to Bonsall, near Matlock, when Cameron was five and he was 12 when he entered a race in the Notts & Derby Cyclo-cross League for the first time – the league has been the first stepping stone to success for many cyclists, not least GB mountain bike international Annie Last and cyclo-cross international Nikki Brammeier.

“It was his own decision to get into bike racing, after he had tried swimming and running too,” added his father.

“He was invited to join British Cycling’s Performance Pathway at 16 and has now been offered a full-time contract with BC for mountain biking, so he lives in a house in Manchester and trains with them. He has put university on hold. Annie Last did something similar in her career and that was his inspiration. You can park your grades and go back to your studies later.”

Happily, there is no danger of an accident in the road race damaging Cameron’s chances in his main discipline. The road race comes two days after the mountain bike event, so he can take to the line on the road alongside such luminaries as Mark Cavendish with no pressure.

Cameron Orr has already represented Great Britain in the junior age category.

Cameron says the patriotism he has found in Northern Ireland influenced his choice for the Commonwealth Games.

“I chose to represent NI because of my father’s nationality,” he said. “I’ve been over to see the family lots of times and I know how patriotic they are. You don’t get that same kind of feeling here. We’re ‘British’, not English!

“Also, I’d like to wear the jersey for my late grandad, as I know he’d have been proud to see me in his colours. In the mountain bike event, I just hope to execute the best race that I can. It will be the first time I’ve raced against Elite riders – last year I was in the under-18s category, so I don’t know how I will compare against those guys, especially because, since October, I have become a full-time cyclist on British Cycling’s under-23 programme. It will be exciting, that’s for sure.

“It’s also a big bonus to be racing on the road, I didn’t think I would be doing that race. There will be some big names racing and it will be the furthest I’ve ever raced, so it will be quite a challenge. I’d just like to be able to showcase the jersey and get some air time on TV!”

Looking beyond the Commonwealth Games, Cameron is full of common sense with regard to his future in the sport.

“ I’d love to be able to race my bike for as long as possible, that’s my main goal,” he said. “I’ve met lots of amazing people and seen riders I’ve always looked up to, as well as travelling around the globe.

“I think going to the Olympics is my main goal and I’d love to be able to pass something on after racing as well, perhaps coaching young riders. Being able to have a platform to speak from to help improve cycling infrastructure in the UK, make it safer to ride a bike and get more people active is also important.

“Matlock CC have been great for me. When I was younger, there were lots of events I could do, such as time trials, cyclocross sessions in the winter and Tuesday night club rides. Older riders were always friendly and willing to give advice.”

Commonwealth gold medallist Liam Killeen coached Cameron last year and his current coach is the highly-respected Simon Watts, so he is still getting excellent advice.

And then there is Last, who will also be in Australia and whose career is going from strength to strength, having enjoyed her best season to date last summer.

“I got to meet her properly for the first time at the World Championships,” he said. “Seeing her take silver and how professionally she operated the week or so before the race made my respect for her grow massively. To achieve that after all the adversity she’s faced is inspirational.”